Ordinary Miracles
by TTY7
Summary: Fairytale's begin with "once upon a time" or with a book magically opening to the page where the story starts to unfold. But this story, my story, well it was never meant to be anything like that. It dawns on me that this moment is akin to a tightrope hundreds of feet off the ground, a tightrope I had hoped to cross unscathed, but one way or another I am going to fall.
1. Prologue: Fairytales and Festivals

A/N: So...okay how to explain how this happened. Well, I've been keeping up with a YouTuber known as Nostalgia Critic, and every year around this time he does a series of videos known as Disneycember. This year he is reviewing Disney's direct to video/DVD sequels, one of which includes the Hunchback of Notre Dame II. Now, while this movie is severely flawed in several ways, I do like it a great deal...

And so, near the end of the video, he said this:  
"I don't even know how to fix it. What would you do with Hunchback of Notre Dame II? It just seems like the first one ended perfectly. I don't know. Maybe there's a better writer out there that can make this work..."

Me: Challenge accepted!

Not saying I'm a better writer or anything. I'm not. I'm most certainly an amateur, but I like to challenge myself and I like stretching the imagination, so I'm going to attempt this project. Rather than rewrite the story though, I am going to attempt to enhance it because there is certainly room for improvement here, regardless of my enjoying it the way it is presently. At the same time, I don't want to do too much and make it unrecognizable. Plus, this is a Disney property, something I have never written for before as I tend to stick to anime in terms of fanfiction, but sometimes you just have to try something new and a bit more lighthearted. (Anime stories tend to get a little dark sometimes.)

Disclaimer: Walt Disney Studios are the proud owners of this property, not me. This is a fanfiction written for entertainment purposes only. No lawsuits please.

Warnings: This story is rated T to be safe as I do intend to make the original story of this film slightly darker to more closely match the tone of the first film. There will also be a few original characters present here.

Enjoy!

* * *

Prologue: Fairytales and Festivals

* * *

Fairytales begin with "once upon a time" or with a book magically opening to the page where the story starts to unfold.

But this story, my story, well it was never meant to be anything like that. I was never meant to experience happiness or joy. I deluded myself into thinking it was possible over and over again with dreams of dancing gracefully across a tightrope high above the ground with a fancy umbrella in hand and large crowd chanting my name. Having such a dream is ironic really, considering my fear of heights.

However, something about being up high was enthralling, even with the nerves rolling through my system each time I dared to to take a step on the unsteady line between life and death...

Okay, perhaps I'm exaggerating a bit. The tightrope I practice on is never more than a couple feet off from the floor.

Even so, each time I practice my moves successfully-which isn't often unfortunately-the burdens weighing down on my shoulders feel lighter and from that point forward my wish is to tie the rope a notch or two higher.

Recently, I've been inspired to practice more, to reach for my dream with more fervor than ever before thanks to the kindness of a man I was ordered to kill.

I might even be in love with him now.

That's the worst part about all of this. Whatever good he sees in me is going to disappear in a few short minutes. The assignment given to me was very clear and though I know it's wrong to walk this path, there's no other option open to me, no hope for a better future beyond the fortune I gain as payment for carrying out Sarouch's dirty work. And besides that, I'm not the only one calling this circus troupe home. There are several others that accompany us and with each year we gain more and more people. Some of them are common thieves looking for an easy way to make money while others are genuinely good people who simply have no other means to support themselves and their families.

I'm not sure which group I fit into.

And if I fail to go through with this deed, I won't be the only person to suffer the consequences. Many of my friends will be affected too. Sarouch made certain to make me very aware of what would happen to them and to me.

Do I choose to save the life of one man I barely know over the lives of the people who have been the closest thing to a family?

The choice should be simple.

The path I must take should be clear and obvious.

It isn't.

Standing in the halls of Notre Dame before the statue of Jesus Christ, it dawns on me that this moment is akin to that tightrope hundreds of feet off the ground, the tightrope I had hoped to cross unscathed, but one way or another I am going to fall. There's no way to stay balanced on this line between life and death.

All that remains now is a choice.

On which side should I fall?

* * *

Three days earlier

In the late hours of the morning along the cobblestone streets of Paris, a group of young children strayed from their parents who were busily admiring the decorations for the upcoming Le Jour d'Amour festival as they were quickly set up in the town square below the towering cathedral of Notre Dame. Pairs of young lovers were singing, dancing hand and hand along the vacant roads as the sun neared its highest point in the sky, vaguely aware of the figure draping streamers of gold and crimson over their heads.

The group of children flocked to the King of Gypsies himself, Clopin Trouillefou, while he gathered up several bouquets of multi-colored roses in his arms. There were so many bouquets in fact that the children could hardly see his face through them.

A little girl was the first to speak. "What are you doing Mr. Clopin?"

The gypsy king lowered the collection of bouquets away from his face just enough so he could see the faces of the expectant children below him. Though all of them were smiling, it was clear they wanted him to recant another tale of Paris and its many wonders.

Well, he certainly couldn't do that while carrying ten bouquets now could he?

And so, the mischievous man was quick to enlist the help of the children with his current task to decorate the topiary archway that had been placed atop a small stage in the center of the square. Once through with the task of sticking the multi-colored roses into the topiary arch, Clopin sat down on the edge of the stage and swiftly started up the famous tale of the bell ringer of Notre Dame.

"Seven years ago there lived an evil fiend by the name of Claude Frollo who set about to destroy all the gypsies in Paris," he began, looking toward the sky as the memories of those dark times filtered through his mind. "It was a time of great peril for my people and for all the citizens of this city, for he was determined to burn it to the ground just to find..."

"You telling that old story again?"

Clopin was suddenly very aware of the short figure standing behind him on the stage and it wasn't long before he realized just who the person was.

"Zephyr," he muttered gravely, his good mood ready to plummet into a sea of melancholy the second the boy jumped off the stage to stand next to him and the other children. With a wide grin the child easily swept the children's attention to his version of the famous tale, which consisted of pirates and monsters and other such things only a child's imagination could muster.

From behind him he heard a chuckle. "Sorry Clopin, it looks like my son is trying to put you out of the job."

His mood instantly returned to normal, a wide smile spreading over his face as he greeted his longtime friend.

"Esmeralda!" he beamed. "Good morning to you. It's been a while."

The raven-haired beauty chuckled at his enthusiasm. "Yes, you've been out of the city for quite some time. When did you get back?"

"Two days ago and just in time too." He turned and looked up toward the banisters where that same mysterious figure was hanging up more streamers. "Le Jour d'Amour...it's one of the city's finest festivals, second only to the Festival of Fools of course."

Esmeralda's smile softened, her own memories prompting her to glance at her husband as he continued working with the villagers.

"Can you believe seven years have passed since then?"

"I can believe it," Clopin answered jovially, but two seconds later he was pouting. "What I can't believe is that I'm a whole seven years older. Soon these kids will call me grandpa."

The gypsy woman lifted an index finger to her chin as a contemplative frown took over her features. "Hmm, sounds about right. You're starting to get up there in age, aren't you?" She smirked wickedly at him then, the free spirited girl coming out of her for a quick moment before retreating back into the confines of wife and mother.

Clopin playfully scowled at her. "Well, I'm willing to venture that you have a few grey hairs now with the rambunctious squirt over there."

"Zephyr is actually fairly well-behaved," Esmeralda commented before pointing behind her, not realizing that the blonde she was referring to was approaching and within hearing distance.

"Now Phoebus on the other hand..."

Before she could finish his arms were around her waist and he was planting a kiss on her cheek. "What's this I hear about me misbehaving?"

Esmeralda scoffed, seemingly unperturbed by her husband's sudden appearance. "Oh, nothing much, just that you act more like a child than Zephyr sometimes." With a challenging gleam in her eye she added," But I can handle you fairly easily."

"Oh, can you now? In what way?"

While the two of them continued to argue/flirt with one another, Clopin took the moment to look back toward the sky. Once again he saw that same mysterious, hunchbacked figure now venturing back to the tower of Notre Dame through the skies.

Smirking he silently departed from his friends and the town square altogether.

"I have a feeling there will be new stories to tell the children soon."

And in that moment, Clopin had no idea just how right he was.

* * *

A/N: Thanks for reading everyone! This was the pilot chapter of the story and from here some things will resemble the film very closely while others will stray from the original content in a major way. Be sure to leave your thoughts in that comment box below. Constructive criticism is certainly welcome.

Additional note: A song I listened to while writing the beginning section of this chapter is a composition titled Sand Dream by Yuki Kajira. If you'd like, take a listen to it. It's a beautiful piece.


	2. The Hunchback & the Dreamer

A/N: In this chapter we will have an official introduction to our main characters and the villain of our tale. Many thanks to those who have reviewed so far. I really appreciate your input! I hope you guys enjoy this one too.

Disclaimer: The Hunchback of Notre Dame II is a property of Disney Studios and is not owned by me. This was made for entertainment purposes...and also because I don't have anything better to do at the moment. Haha!

Warnings: Introduction to an original character lies within the chapter. Why? Because Madellaine needs a friend, that's why.

* * *

Chapter 1: The Hunchback and the Dreamer

* * *

Soft rays of light streamed into the bell tower of the illustrious structure known simply as Notre Dame. By one of the windows, three stone gargoyles watched the whimsical displays of the couples far below them. One of them seemed particularly moved by the scenes of bliss.

"Observe the rituals of courtship as citizens gather two by two," the gargoyle known as Victor murmured softly, his eyes glazed with a dreamy look one would find more common in a school girl than a terrifying gargoyle, but then, looks can be deceiving.

"Looks like there's someone for everyone," another gargoyle, Laverne, stated with the same air of bliss in her tone.

"Ah, yes," Hugo, the third and most flamboyant of the three gargoyles, added. "Too bad there's only one of me to go around."

And just like that, the peaceful air surrounding the trio popped like a balloon.

"One is plenty, believe me," Laverne grumbled, clearly agitated by Hugo's usual antics. From his place by the window, Victor sighed, realizing all too soon that a fight was bound to break out as it always did.

Of course, Hugo didn't realize the jab right away.

"Ah, thanks."

The other two gargoyles patiently waited for him to catch on.

"Hey! Was that a shot!?"

Laverne allowed herself to smirk in triumph at him. "Maybe..."

Meanwhile, as the inevitable fight began, a figure entered the room, having seemingly climbed up from below. Upon seeing the gargoyles participating in their usual arguments, the man smiled and walked over to his sitting table with a yellow rose in hand.

The man himself wasn't much to look at. With a horrendously hunched back and some twisted features, he was often labeled a monster by those who had never met him before. However, ever since the death of Claude Frollo seven years ago, the hunchback of Notre Dame had gained many friends and acquaintances in the city of Paris as well as respect for being the church's bell ringer.

Though given the cruel name of Quasimodo, the hunchback was a very kind spirit and had one of the warmest smiles around.

Nevertheless, his grotesque features had cursed him to a life of solitude in many respects. Even after finding the courage to face the world, there were some things he knew he would never have.

Of course, he often chose not to dwell on it, lest he find himself depressed. Regardless of whatever was missing from his life, he was living a far better life than he had been a few years ago.

At the moment, Quasi was mostly concerned with making sure that La Fidele, the bell that had just been brought to the church yesterday for the festival, was nice and polished.

After placing his yellow rose in a makeshift vase made from clay, he turned to the window to find that Laverne had punched Hugo's lights out.

"Are you guys going to fight all day or help me with the preparations for the festival?" he asked good naturedly as he began to climb the ladder leading to the countless bells handing above them.

His three friends/guardians turned to face him, sudden joy etched in all their faces.

"There he is!" Victor announced, his arms spread out wide. "Making his triumphant return!"

Quasi laughed heartily, finding it difficult not to roll his eyes a bit. "Come on, let's get the marble out. We have to polish La Fidele."

"And what's the festival..."

"Without the bell?"

"Or the bell ringer!"

Ignoring their cheers, Quasi walked forward toward the bronze bell, unaware that a new presence had entered his sanctuary.

"Toro! Toro!"

Upon hearing the loud, familiar screech, Quasi turned around and found his young friend Zephyr holding his hands next to his head as if they were bull horns while angrily walking in place. He was ready to charge.

Quasi responded quickly by unfolding the long cloth he had brought up with him to polish the bell. While shaking it out he yelled, "Toro! Toro!"

Encouraged by Quasi's screams, Zephyr immediately charged, shouting out as he did. The two played back and forth a bit, with Zephyr laughing the whole time as Quasi dodged his charges as best he could. Of course, the young boy was very quick and eventually climbed up Quasi's back. The older man responded by helping the boy onto his shoulders before tickling him relentlessly.

As their giggles echoed through the tower, Esmeralda entered from below, her gaze a bit stern but full of contentment upon seeing her son and Quasimodo playing together.

"Zephyr, you need to slow down," she called once she was fully in the room.

Quasi approached Esmeralda with Zephyr still on his back as the boy spoke, slowing down his speech as he talked.

"Ohhhhhh...kay...mooooooooooom..."

Phoebus entered the room around that time, laughing at his son's antics before saying, "Okay now, listen to your mother young man."

"Yes papa."

With a smile, Esmeralda turned her attention to the new bell. "Is that...?"

Quasi glanced behind him before focusing back on his friend. "Yes, indeed it is."

The gypsy stepped forward, walking past Quasimodo while reaching to touch the outside of the bell. "So this is La Fidele. She's magnificent."

"You gonna ring it once for my mom, Quasi?" Zephyr asked.

Phoebus answered before the bell ringer had a chance to speak. "You bet he is and your mother is going to be down in the square screaming into the night, 'I love my husband, Phoebus."

Once again, Esmeralda smirked, a mischievous glow lighting up her emerald eyes. "Oh, really? And what makes you think I'm going to shout so loudly?"

"You'll have to," Phoebus replied, "To be heard over me yelling 'I love Esmeralda!" With a soft tug he twirled his wife about the room briefly, dipping her toward the floor before bringing her back up for a kiss.

For poor Zephyr the sight was embarrassing.

"Ugh...yuck..."

"Yeah, yuck," Quasi stated, although he sounded significantly less appalled by Esmeralda and Phoebus sharing a lip lock right in front of them. If anything the poor man was simply dreaming of the day when he would meet a girl who would want to kiss him.

Of course, such a dream is impossible for him.

To stop himself from letting his mind drift to dark places again, he set the young boy back down on the floor and stepped underneath, which glowed from the countless rare gems that adorned the whole of the interior. Seeing the pure beauty of the bell's inside lifted Quasi's spirit greatly.

Unfortunately, Zephyr followed behind him and asked the one question that nearly crushed his heart there on the spot.

"Who's name are you gonna call out tomorrow, Quasi?"

As a young child who was taught not to judge others based on their looks or occupations, Zephyr wouldn't know of the troubles Quasimodo faced when it came to love, especially considering that the boy thought the hunchback was the best guy in the whole world.

And because he didn't have a grasp on the daily struggle his friend faced, he was unaware of the wound he had inflicted.

Still, Quasi being Quasi tried to brush it off and simply continued forward with his business.

"No one, I guess," he told the child, barely succeeding in hiding his distress from him.

Even with that answer though, the boy kept prying.

"Then who's gonna scream your name?"

The hunchback took a step backward, his gaze falling to the floor as his heart sank within his chest. "I don't think...anyone ever will, Zephyr."

Only when Quasi turned away did the young boy realize he may have said something wrong and with a look of concern he watched his friend walk away toward the other end of the bell. Reflected in the pure gold, he could see Quasi's forlorn expression. It prompted him to ask a final question.

"Well, why not?"

Quasimodo couldn't answer him. He didn't want to answer him.

Looking at his face on a regular basis should have been answer enough. There's no one in the world who would want to be with someone who looked the way he did. Quasi was well aware of this fact and had been for all of his life. Frollo had ingrained that into him time and time again. Despite gaining many friends over the years, some facts about the world were undeniable. There were still some who saw him and automatically labeled him as some form of beast rather than an ordinary man.

He didn't expect to strike gold twice in a lifetime. It was enough to have people in his life who cared for him, right?

Still, sometimes he did feel an overwhelming sense of loneliness when he saw other couples. Not because he was jealous of them but more because he wished there was a possibility that someone could love him the way those couples seemed to love each other. It was a simple wish, really.

Hearing Quasimodo's silence, Esmeralda entered the bell and placed her hands on the man's shoulders. "Quasi..."

He looked at her briefly, his blue eyes shining with something akin to grief before his gaze fell to the ground again. Esmeralda pressed on.

"It takes more than looking to really see."

Quasi knew there was wisdom in her words, but in that moment he couldn't figure out just what that wisdom was.

With a tender smile, the gypsy gently gripped his chin and forced him to gaze at his reflection in the gold. "Someday you'll be ready and when you are you'll find her."

And for that brief moment, the encouragement allowed him to see something else in his reflection. For a few seconds he saw a normal man with a normal face. It made him smile, but he knew it was only an illusion his mind created.

"Someday?" he murmured, pressing one of his hands to hers on his shoulder. "Nah. What could possibly ever change?"

* * *

"I swear, you never change."

These words were uttered by a woman with short, blonde hair and radiant blue eyes. She wore a simple green dress over a white, long-sleeved blouse and was currently walking barefoot across a tightrope about three feet off the ground. Her expression was etched into a frown as she glared over at the slightly older woman standing by her tent's entrance.

This woman wore an odd outfit that consisted of a crimson tank top that stopped just above her belly button, skintight black, leather-spandex pants with leather ankle boots, black fingerless gloves with crimson bracelets, and hoop earrings coated in a silver-colored paint on her ears. Her raven locks were styled into a pixie cut, which shaped her face quite nicely. Unfortunately, she was also scowling a little, though clear amusement shone in her pale grey eyes.

"Hey, I'm just telling you that Sarouch is going to be angry when he finds out you're not in that box 'standing there and looking pretty'." With a laugh the woman walked a little closer, examining her friend as she continued to practice. "Sometimes I don't know why you bother practicing, Madellaine. You know that vain pig of a man isn't going to let you do an act."

Madellaine took a careful step forward on the rope, her fancy rose-colored umbrella in hand. "I'm sure I can convince him one of these days to let me at least try it..."

"Yeah, about as much as you can convince him to sell all his precious, expensive mirrors," the woman interrupted, looking skeptical of Madellaine's plans. "It's not good to dream big in our line of work, honey."

"You are not helping my concentration..." the blonde paused for a moment, stumbling just a bit. "Gabriella..."

Gabriella smirked wickedly. "Fine, I'll take my leave. Who knows, maybe your harebrained scheme will work and you can finally have your dream of walking across a thin rope hundreds of feet in the air where the slightest distraction may lead you to plummet to your untimely and gruesome death! Ahahahahahahahaha!"

The random evil laughter prompted another bout of stumbling from the blonde. With yelps of terror she sprinted to one of the wooden posts holding the rope and held on to it tight, heaving all the while. Gabriella chuckled at first at the sight of her friend then found herself doubling over in full-blown hysterics once she caught a glimpse of Madellaine's terror stricken expression.

"Now that's what I call entertainment!" Gabriella cackled, still clutching her stomach. "Oh, the look on your face is priceless."

Madellaine gave a dejected sigh after catching her breath. "Are you through torturing me yet?"

Gabriella was still giggling but she nodded. "Yes, I suppose that's all the fun allotted to me for one day. But on a serious note though, do be careful when you eventually convince the boss to let you have a tightrope act. I don't want you getting hurt."

"I'll do my best," Madellaine replied, gearing up to practice again as Gabriella began to take her leave. "You be careful too."

"Of course, this life is no problem for a veteran acrobat like me." With that said, the raven-haired pixie left the blonde dreamer to her practicing. She supposed everyone needed a reason to go on, even if it was something as simple and hopeless as a dream.

As for Madellaine, though slightly annoyed at her longtime friend, she was mostly happy at the moment. There was always a sense of euphoria that swept over her whenever she was off the ground. She wasn't sure if the adrenaline rush she got was a result of her fear of heights or general excitement at the thought of walking high above the cruel, unforgiving world below. She wasn't entirely sure. She only knew that practicing her act was one of the few things that made her feel truly happy.

"Madames and Monsieurs," she called out, taking a step forward along the rope. "Kindly direct your attention high above, for the magnificent Madellaine is about to perform her daring high wire act." With a bright smile on her face, the young woman lifted her hands high above her head and began to walk the rope backwards.

"Without a net," she continued just before stumbling a bit. She muttered an 'opps' as she recovered before shouting, "And the crowd goes wild. Ah!" Regaining her balance she poses again. "A hush comes over the crowd as Madeline prepares to perform her graceful trick...oh ooooh!"

Once again the young woman was losing her footing and balance to the point where she had to run to the wooden post again. With a tiny yelp she grabbed onto it, spinning around it in one full rotation before regaining her balance again. Breathing heavily she continued her previous commentary.

"Madellaine catches her breath, having nearly plummeted to her death..."

Suddenly she remembered Gabriella's words.

 _Now that's what I call entertainment. The look on your face is priceless."_

Madellaine lifted her fist slightly before shaking her friend's words out of her head. Opening the umbrella she shouted, "And the crowd roars with applause! They scream for more!" Once again she walks across the rope, having no trouble this time. At one point she is even able to balance on the thin rope on one foot, a daring feat for her.

"Encore! Encore!" After quietly laughing to herself she takes a bow. "Thank you. Thank you. You're too kind..."

"Where were you Madellaine!"

The sudden shrillness of Sarouch's voice caught the poor girl off-guard, causing her to lose her balance completely. Luckily for her, the tightrope was only three feet up from the floor.

But even with the short distance, the landing still hurt.

"Well?"

Finally noticing Sarouch's imposing figure at the entrance to her tent, she tried in vain to explain her absence from his side.

"I...I was...standing..."

Sarouch raised an eyebrow.

"I mean...uh...of course I was standing. I mean...I haven't always been sitting...and," she trailed off, realizing how stupid she sounded. "I'm sorry."

The man didn't seem to hear her as he entered the tent, his gaze transfixed by the nearby mirror casting his reflection.

Even so, Madellaine continued. "I just...wanted to contribute more to the circus."

Sarouch didn't turn away from the mirror. "Your job is to be there on stage by my side and look pretty."

Madellaine would have said something else, but Sarouch was too busy murmuring sweet nothings to his reflection. Quite frankly his behavior in regards to his own appearance was really starting to frighten her.

"Now, I know you want to do more," Sarouch finally blurted after another minute of seducing himself, "And you shall do more." With a sharp movement he yanked the umbrella from her hand and broke it underneath his foot before continuing.

"I have the perfect job for you."

* * *

A/N: And behold...a cliffhanger! Ahahahahahahaha! Not that this cliffhanger is particularly suspenseful but...well...just roll with it.

Music corner: Some music I listened to while writing the piece of the chapter that introduced Gabriella and Madellaine is a piece called Amazoness Quartet from the original Sailor Moon series soundtrack. If you have time, take a listen to it. It's a fun little piece.

Thanks for reading. I hope you enjoyed this second chapter!


	3. Chance Meetings & Bitter Partings

A/N: Hey guys. Sorry it took me so long to update. Things got extremely busy on my end and I forgot that I had this chapter ready to upload. Anyway, I'm not sure when the next update will be, but I will return to this story as soon as I can. I hope you guys enjoy the chapter and that you have a wonderful day.

Disclaimer: The Hunchback of Notre Dame II is a product of Disney. I'm just writing a fanfiction for entertainment purposes.

* * *

Chapter 2: Chance Meetings and Bitter Partings

* * *

"Ugh...you call this the perfect job?"

Madellaine stood across the road from the imposing structure of Notre Dame, hating her life as she often did whenever she received a task requiring to use her 'stand there and look pretty' qualities to help her boss steal something. In fact, there was little she hated more.

Unfortunately for her, she didn't really have much choice in the matter. She owed Sarouch a debt.

 _Up in the tower of Notre Dame is a bell of extraordinary value, a bell called La Fidele. Unfortunately, that tower is merely a temporary home for it. Two days from now the bell and its luminous treasures will be removed from the cathedral and returned to a high security vault of which the location is unknown to all but a few._

 _Are you not one of the few?_

 _Don't get an attitude with me, girl. Now as I was saying, I want you to go up there find La Fidele."_

 _Ugh...why?_

 _Because I mean to steal it silly. I'll be rich! I can travel the world, perhaps buy a kingdom, live in style and comfort..._

 _No, not that. Why must we always steal? I was thinking..._

 _Ha! Thinking!? Hahaha! That is not your strong suit my little moron, now is it? No, it's mine. And where would you be without me?_

 _On the streets._

 _Precisely, for it's a cold world out there..._

 _For a girl like me...fine...I'll go._

 _I thought you would say that. Now, there is a bell ringer that lives in the tower. Smile at him. Wile and beguile him and he'll tell you exactly what I wish to know._

 _And you can't ask him because..._

 _I have an act to put together and common folk to take advantage of. I have no time to waste on a bell ringer. Just find out where the bell is from him and report that information back to me. I'll take care of the rest._

"Take care of the rest he says," Madellaine muttered, sighing for what felt like the fiftieth time that day before making her way across the square. As she approached the doors though, she noted two guards.

" _Well, that's an unexpected development_ ," she thought warily as she continued marching forward. " _Why would these guys stand guard outside of a church?"_

The guards seemed friendly enough though. Upon noticing her they waved and grinned cheerfully.

"Good afternoon Mademoiselle," both of them started, speaking as if they were one person instead of two. "What is your business here today?"

Madellaine was taken aback by the synchronization. "Ummm...I'm here to...pray?"

While the blonde was dealing the security situation downstairs, far above within the tower, Quasimodo was polishing La Fidele and the surrounding bells with Victor, Hugo, and Laverne.

Quasimodo in particular had thrown himself into the task with a type of vigor that seemed forced rather than natural. Though the hunchbacked fellow was trying desperately to shake off the feelings of despair Zephyr's questions and his own realizations had left him with, he couldn't quite make himself feel as jolly as he knew he should have been. It wasn't as if he had never encountered loneliness before this moment. The first twenty years of his life had been spent observing the townsfolk from high above without daring to step outside due to Frollo's harsh and watchful eyes cast on him.

That cycle of hidden despair ended when he dared to take a chance and venture out into the city. Granted it didn't seem like the best thing at the time given that he was crowned the King of Fools and then tormented by many of the townsfolk when it turned out his face wasn't a mask.

But he also made a friend in Esmeralda that day. She stood up for him and made him feel like he mattered to her.

For a short time, he was in love with her.

Of course, Quasi understood that what he was in love with was what she represented to him at the time. She showed him that the world wasn't as black and white as his guardian had claimed. In that kind and mischievous way of hers, she revealed to him the truth about who he was.

He was not a monster but an ordinary man with ordinary dreams, hoping for an ordinary miracle.

Well, he certainly got a lot more than that. His new life, which consisted of going out in the town and playing with Zephyr on a regular basis, was a startling far cry from what it had been. There were still those who whispered about him as he passed, referring to him as an unsightly figure, but on a whole, Paris seemed to be a great deal more compassionate and friendly than Frollo had wanted him to believe.

Even so, pieces of his upbringing often came back to haunt him.

He had dared to take a chance, but he was highly doubtful that any woman would take a chance on him. He wasn't dashing or handsome. At times he was embarrassingly awkward and shy around people, though that shyness didn't usually last long.

His gargoyle companions continuously told him he was a great guy. Esmeralda and Phoebus trusted him with their son and cared for him as if he were an integral part of their family. Zephyr didn't even seem to notice the fact that his best friend had a face that often frightened other small children.

But despite these constant positive reassurances, Quasimodo knew his looks made him into something that simply couldn't be loved in a romantic way. Though looking back reminds him he wasn't truly in love with her, seeing Esmeralda with Phoebus during the time when Frollo was burning down half of Paris just to find the gypsy had definitely shattered a piece of him, a piece of him that wanted to bask in the glow of Heaven's light.

Having abandoned that part of him, he didn't often feel sad about not having what other people had. For a while he felt no true longing when he saw couples together or even when he saw Esmeralda and Phoebus shamelessly flirting with one another as if they were in a competition to see who could out-flirt each other.

But right now his heart ached terribly and though he smiled and rang the bells as per usual, the mask of happiness he wore didn't work to trick his mind. If only it were that simple.

Downstairs, having finally gotten the guards to stop chatting in unison long enough to finally get allowance into the church, Madellaine stepped inside the cathedral with a look of exasperation on her face. Sarouch definitely wasn't going to like hearing about the patrolmen outside. Whatever plan he was concocting would have to be adjusted.

After a few seconds of mental complaining though, Madellaine relaxed. The bells ringing through the church had a calming effect, one the blonde definitely appreciated as she started to walk down the hall.

She stopped near the end of the hall, inhaling the scent of the lighted candles before noticing a small doorway off to the side.

" _I wonder if that leads to the bell tower."_

Clasping her hands together, the blonde quickly glanced around to make sure no one was watching her only to realize the church was completely empty.

" _Well, this certainly makes up for the ten minutes it took to get in through the front door_ ," she thought, lifting the skirt of her dress a bit as she started up the stone steps. " _Perhaps things are looking up._ "

With a little more spring to her step, Madellaine quickly ascended the winding stairwell. Reaching the wooden door at the top, she took a deep breath and gently pressed her hand against it.

The thing creaked horribly, instantly alerting anyone who was there to her presence.

Quasimodo heard the creak and paused in his movements to look over his shoulder. From above he could see a feminine figure walking in through the door and he noted right away that she did not look pleased at the fact that it had made such a racket.

And what do you know, she wasn't.

" _Great...there goes the stealth part of the plan_ ," she thought, taking a hesitant step inside as she looked around. "Hello!"

Unbeknownst to her, four sets of eyes were watching.

The gargoyles in particular looked especially pleased.

Hugo was the first to speak. "Damsel alert."

"And a lovely vision at that," Victor added.

Laverne scowled at both of them, whispering, "What am I? Chopped liver?"

Again, Madellaine was completely unaware of all this and so she called out, "I'm looking for the bell ringer."

Legend has it that Hugo's eyes grew three sizes the second the girl uttered those words.

"She wants you big guy," he whispered. A wide grin was spread over his face as he shifted to look up toward where Quasimodo was standing...

Only to find that the boy had hightailed it to the nearest hiding spot.

The gargoyles were quick to track the hunchback to the green curtain he had saw fit to duck behind in hopes of avoiding the woman wandering about nearby. Upon noting how close she actually was, the three gargoyles hopped behind the curtain to talk some bravery into their friend.

"Go on, sweetie," Laverne mumbled, wrapping her hands around one of his arms as a means to try and pry him off from the wall he was desperately clinging to.

"I...I can't. What do I say?"

"Open your mouth. Something will come out," Victor supplied.

Quasimodo opened his mouth, but all that came out were a bunch of strangled attempts at speech.

Hugo simply shook his head. "Well look at that, nothing came out."

Outside that ridiculous scene, Madellaine was still wandering about, but now she was nearing Quasimodo's craft table where he kept his model of the town and the townspeople underneath a thick brown tarp.

"Um...my name is Madellaine and I'm with the circus," she began. Pausing momentarily she lifted the tarp from the table and smiled at the craftsmanship she saw. "I just love bells...oh..." She trailed off after accidentally tipping over one of the wooden figurines, which subsequently fell against the other figurines, creating a huge mess that the girl clumsily tried to fix before the tarp she lifted collapsed atop her head.

She sincerely hoped no one actually saw her blunder.

Lifting the tarp up enough so she could briskly emerge, she continued. "Um...which one is La Fidele?"

Throughout Madellaine's little misadventure, Quasimodo had been debating whether or not he was having a heart attack or a panic attack. Both seemed plausible given his paralyzed state. Regardless, he didn't hear a word that came out of the girl's mouth.

Luckily for him, his companions had been paying _very_ close attention.

"The bells, ding-dong!" Hugo whisper-shouted as he and the others pushed against Quasi's back. "She likes the bells!"

Their combined strength forced the hunchback out from behind the curtain. The tumble of movement caught Madellaine's ears.

She turned around quickly, but didn't catch a glimpse of anything.

A small smile began to lift the corners of her mouth. "Are you...hiding from me?"

She took a few steps forward and looked toward the bells above. Within seconds she caught sight of one bell hiding shoulders, arms, torso, and legs.

Quasimodo was suddenly very aware of feminine giggling as he finally answered. "No. What's so funny?"

"Nothing it's just..." she nearly broke into another fit of hysterics. "It's just...it looks like you're wearing a really big hat." The blonde started to laugh again but then realized how foolish she must have sounded. Turning away she muttered, "That...that sounds silly doesn't it?"

"No," he told her, watching her shadow. "I just never looked at that way before. Haha!"

Encouraged by his laughter, Madellaine continued. "It's a brass beret, a two ton topper..."

The hunchback felt the weight in his heart lift as he laughed again, enjoying the humor the woman below him was showcasing. Since he was standing inside the bell, he quickly rung it from the inside before adding his own quip, to which Madellaine eagerly joined him in laughter.

However, as she laughed she noticed the three gargoyles...and they were laughing...

Wait...laughing?

Gasping she gazed fearfully at the stone figures. They were completely still now but...she could have sworn...

"What's wrong?" Quasimodo asked.

"The...the gargoyles!"

The hunchback shrunk back slightly. "The gargoyles?"

"They...they were alive," the woman stated, still gaping at their figures as she moved to put distance between herself and them. Clearly she was going insane, but...for whatever reason she wasn't too bothered by it.

"I guess...that's dumb isn't it?"

Quasi found himself releasing a breath he'd been holding as he finally, truly saw her. "No..."

After that, silence reigned in the expansive room for a long moment. Madellaine took that time to walk back toward the craft table and Quasimodo followed her from above.

"You...must think I'm stupid," she breathed, not really realizing that she was speaking aloud until the bell ringer responded.

"Not at all," he assured her. "That just means you have an imagination."

She smiled a bit, overwhelmed by a sudden feeling she couldn't quite name. "You...really think so?"

Quasi leapt down, hiding himself behind a large, stone stature of Moses's head. Madellaine heard him, but she didn't see him.

Feeling courageous she walked closer to it. "What is your name?"

The hunchback barely chanced a peek at her from behind the statue. "Quasimodo."

He was directly in front of her, that much Madellaine could see, but due to the darkness she couldn't make out any features at all.

Quasimodo was a man who had taken a life changing chance in the past, but in that moment...he was afraid to take another.

Madellaine however...

"Would you like to come out where I can see you?" she asked gently, extending a hand to him.

Fearful, the hunchback retreated further into the darkness.

The behavior struck Madellaine as odd, but she didn't question it for very long as another idea of how to see this mysterious bell ringer came to mind when she noted the curtain hanging above them.

Without a thought for what was to come, she pulled the curtain back. Streams of sunlight instantly illuminated the face of the bell ringer.

And what she saw most definitely frightened her.

However, it wasn't his features that scared her necessarily. Yes, he certainly wasn't much to look at, but she had grown up around people who looked far worse. She was no stranger to ugliness.

What struck terror into her heart was the expression on that face.

Shame. Regret. Self-hatred. Heartbreak.

All these and more did she see in the hunchback's deep blue eyes.

The emotions she saw in him mirrored how she felt about herself so poignantly that it drove a figurative stake through the core of her heart. For a few seconds she was even sure it stopped beating.

He was a reflection of who she was on the inside.

She was ugly.

She was grotesque.

She was a monster.

Madellaine brought her hands to her mouth, stifling the scream that wanted to come out. A part of her didn't want him to feel like she was this bothered by how he looked. He seemed like a kind enough person given their interaction but...

For one reason or another, she simply couldn't face the sorrow reflected in his eyes. It matched her own too well.

"I...I have to go," she whispered once she actually managed to draw in a breath. Twisting on her foot she ran, no longer concerned with how she was making him feel. "I'm sorry."

Quasimodo stood there in the light, still covering himself as Madellaine departed without bothering to shut the door to the tower behind her.

Once again his heart ached, only this time there was an added layer of salt on top of his already tender heart.

It took him a few minutes to move, to bring himself to brave the strain on his longsuffering soul, but inside he knew he couldn't dwell on the heartache or the shame.

Regardless of the pain it causes him, this is how he looks. He can't change it. He is doomed to never know the blessings of true love.

With that reality fueling him, Quasimodo finally willed himself to walk from behind the Moses statue to his crafting table. After removing the tarp he sat down and set out to work on a new figurine...a figurine of her.

Laverne was the first to approach him as he carved the wood, fighting back tears as he did.

"Are you okay?"

Quasimodo shook his head, his gaze locked on his work. "No. You saw the way she looked at me."

"Well, get her to look again, honey."

The hunchback's frown deepened. He doubted he could even face her again, let alone get her to see who he really was. He had stopped trying to change people's perceptions of him long ago.

Madellaine, the beautiful girl with the wonderful laugh...she deserved better than him.

* * *

A/N: And that's the end of this chapter. Next chapter is going to spice things up a little, since so far things have been falling in line with the movie almost beat by beat. Until then, I hope you guys have a lovely day. Leave a review if you have time. Constructive criticism is welcome.


	4. Ordinary Miracles & Extraordinary Dreams

A/N:Well, it's been a while. It took me a while to have free time to write anything for this story. Funny thing happened though, out of the blue I got some crazy inspiration for this piece and wrote a nice chunk for this story. I should be able to update again in a week or so. If not, it's probably because I got busy or something. Anyway, I just want to say thanks to those who have left reviews thus far. You guys are wonderful and I hope you will enjoy this chapter! I had a great time writing it!

Disclaimer: I would write one, but I don't feel like it today. You know I don't own the rights to the original fiction crafted by the Disney Company. I only own my original characters like Gabriella and one other that's introduced in this chapter.

* * *

Chapter 3: Ordinary Miracles & Extraordinary Dreams

* * *

Breathing laboriously, Madellaine sat on the bottom step of the stairway leading to the bell tower, her heart aching in more ways than one.

She felt guilty.

How could she run out like that without giving a proper explanation to the poor man? Sure, the mere sight of the hunchback sent a chill through her, but said chill really had nothing to do with him. It was a matter of how his outward appearance reflected all the things she despised about her inner self.

Sarouch practically made a career off of making her feel worthless. Hating aspects of herself came naturally.

But now she had gone and done the same thing to someone else, and knowing this didn't sit well with Madellaine at all. Acting in such a way to someone who had been so kind was callous, monstrous even.

To make matters worse, she hadn't completed the mission to get information on that stupid bell.

In other words, she would have to go back up there and face the Hunchback of Notre Dame again, regardless of whether she really wanted to or not, which she most certainly didn't, not after her horrendous display.

 _"What do I do?"_ she wondered aimlessly, bringing her knees to her chest before resting her head on them. " _Well, I'm in a church. Maybe I should pray about it."_

Upstairs, Quasimodo was quietly painting on the finishing touches to his wooden figurine of Madellaine. Though simple and not quite as detailed as some of the other figures he had made, the simplicity of its design and the memory of the woman it was modeled after immediately made it his favorite. A small spark of hope ignited in his heart despite of the emotional blow dealt to him through her panicked stare and swift retreat.

With a smile warming his face he turned to Laverne, who hadn't left his side since he'd started working. "Do you believe in miracles?"

"Miracles?" the gargoyle questioned, shrugging. "What kind of miracles?"

Quasimodo focused his gaze on the figurine in his hand. "Oh, you know. Just...ordinary miracles."

"I'm not following you, kid."

The red-haired hunchback let out a sigh, his gaze now traveling over his past crafting work as he spoke. "I see people together. Couples. And it looks so nice...being with someone who loves you."

With a critical gaze he lifted the figurine of himself before placing it across the Madellaine figure.

"I guess I just wonder if...maybe someone could love me...someday..."

Downstairs, unbeknownst to the hunchback still struggling against hope and sorrow, Madellaine was crying, hating herself and the life she had clumsily stumbled into thanks to a lapse of judgment she'd had at the age of six.

So many years had gone by and she still regretted that single action, but at the same time she knew if she hadn't stolen from Sarouch back then, she wouldn't have survived to this point. Back then she nothing but an orphan on the streets begging for scraps of human kindness. Now she was a hopelessly depressed woman easily taken advantage of by criminals like Sarouch. Of course, such was to be expected.

After all, as far as she was concerned, she had no real skills aside from looking pretty.

Even her dream was impractical. She wanted to walk across a tightrope and hear crowds of people cheering her name in celebration of one successful performance. That was it.

It was a simple thing really, yet impossible.

To achieve anything of worth in life, she'd need a miracle.

Just as she thought this, a faint voice filtered through the expansive cathedral. It was a melodic sound, almost heavenly.

Even though she couldn't make out the words, Madellaine ceased her crying. Something about the sound of someone distantly singing was calming to her. As the voice continued to softly echo through the halls, she slowly looked toward the sunlight streaming through the ornate windows while pondering if this sense of comfort was why so many sought God in the midst of bitter reality.

There was so much wrong with the world. All her life she wondered how such a thing could be if God truly existed. Maybe she would never know for sure.

But for whatever reason, as Madellaine rose from the place where she wept, she believed in Him.

And so she prayed to Him.

And perhaps someday soon, her miracle will come.

After a another minute of prayer, Madellaine pivoted on her heel and turned to look back at the open door of the stairwell. Far above someone was singing, though the sound of the voice was no longer echoing through the cathedral as it had before.

" _If he's the one singing right now...I hope God will make a miracle for him too."_

Smiling softly, Madellaine closed her eyes and took a long, deep breath. When she opened them again, hope sparkled in her irises.

Knowing she would soon see the bell ringer again, the blonde woman strode leisurely out of the cathedral with the soft melody in her heart.

* * *

About half an hour later, Madellaine found herself groaning in frustration.

" _Well...that sense of peace didn't last long..."_

The thought trailed off as Gabriella wrapped an arm around her neck. "Come on, Miss Daydreamer, we're on kitchen duty tonight and I need your help. After all, you have been gone ALL DAY!"

"I can explain that..."

"Don't bother!" Gabriella exclaimed while simultaneously dragging the blonde woman along with her. Surrounded by tents and other carnival folk, the scene was a spectacle, but a familiar one. The acrobat did this sort of thing constantly...with pretty much everyone.

"Now quit fussing," she continued, smiling gleefully. "You'll only make the punishment worse."

Madellaine merely groaned, accepting her fate. She knew exactly what the so-called "punishment" would be.

Ten minutes later, clad in old stained dresses with aprons covered in patches of multi-colored textiles, Gabriella led Madellaine to a large tent that would serve as their "kitchen". A few wooden tables were spread out throughout the room. Some produce was already sitting on one of the tables along with the necessary cooking utensils such as knives, ladles, and a couple measuring tools. A large pot sat on a table adjacent to the produce table.

"Merlin is fetching the water," Gabriella was saying, her strides fast and purposeful across the dying grass beneath their feet. "I'll be making a meager vegetable stew tonight."

Madellaine stared blankly at the table as the acrobat quickly set about chopping some carrots. "Again?"

Gabriella's gray colored irises shifted toward the blonde menacingly. "Wha...again! What do you mean, again!? This is all we performers can afford to eat!"

" _That's surprising, considering we just left from a lucrative thieving excursion in Venice."_

"Don't give me that look," Gabriella chided, seeming to hear the biting comment in Madellaine's head. "It's not my fault our boss likes to gorge himself on expensive lobster and then starve himself for three days immediately after so he can maintain his 'perfect figure'." With a low grumble, the pixie-like acrobat stabbed the knife into the shabby wooden table. "And it's not my fault we're left with barely enough money to survive day to day or that we've basically sold our souls to a narcissistic, senile, devil!"

Yanking the knife out of the table, she pointed it toward Madellaine. "But such is our plight in this life. It could be worse. Now, quit looking at me like a terrified idiot and chop these onions! We have a lot of people to feed and I don't want to hear any complaining out of you tonight."

Madellaine, used to such rants from her best friend, silently walked to the adjacent table. Gabriella handed her an onion and the blonde got to work.

For a while they prepared things in silence. Merlin, a man of Asian origin who specialized in magic and fortune telling, came in with large buckets of fresh water and left, though he was sure to leave a quick hello to the two working women before departing.

Once he was gone, Gabriella began to compile all the ingredients. As she began to stir them into the massive pot now full of water, she glanced over at the blonde dutifully chopping onions.

"So, where did you run off to today?"

"Sarouch sent me to Notre Dame," Madellaine answered simply, her mind focused on the task at hand. "He wanted me to locate La Fidele."

"Oh?" Gabriella questioned, perking up a bit as she moved to wipe a bit of sweat from her brow. "He sent you for that?"

"He did."

The pixie-acrobat placed a hand on her hip, narrowing all her attention on the blonde. "Odd. That sounds like a job for one of his muscly goons he keeps around."

"Well, apparently he wanted me to 'wile and beguile' the bell-ringer."

"Is that why you came back here with such a dreamy look on your face?"

Madellaine stopped for a moment. "Dreamy?"

"You had stars in your eyes, Mademoiselle." Gabriella smirked knowingly, returning to her work. "He must have been quite the looker."

The longsuffering dreamer groaned inwardly at that, remembering her abhorrent behavior after seeing the kind hunchback. "You could say that..."

Another period of silence filled the air for another couple minutes as the women continued their cooking duties.

Outside the tent, the sun was slowly setting over the horizon.

At Notre Dame, Quasimodo was seated along the many rooftops of the cathedral, appreciating the gentle violet glow across Paris. Before mustering the courage to leave his immaculate prison to participate in the Festival of Fools, this view of the city had been one of the only comforts in his lonely existence.

For twenty years he never dared to hope he could live the way he does now, for that had been a miracle of the extraordinary kind.

Now he only hoped for ordinary miracles. He craved a simple life with simple joys. He possessed many of these gifts of life already, and yet...

"Something's missing," Gabriella muttered, sipping a small bit of the stew she and Madellaine had prepared.

" _Yes...something is missing_ ," the blonde thought, ceasing in her movements. She stared at the knife in her hand, transfixed by its pristine gleam in the fading light of day.

She saw a distorted reflection along the blade. Distorted sapphires stared back at her, condemning her.

Droplets of water slid down her face without warning.

Gabriella had moved to stand next to Madellaine only a moment earlier. She was chopping the last of the chives when she heard her friend sniffle.

Without looking she muttered, "Onions finally getting to you?"

Madellaine nodded. "I think so."

They both knew the onions had nothing to do with the tears.

* * *

Madellaine and Gabriella emerged from the cooking tent at nightfall carrying the hot pot of stew toward the bonfire close by.

"Dinner is ready!"

As soon as the acrobat called out this information, the other carnival folk came in droves.

The blonde performer smiled at most of them. Despite their way of life, many of these people were simply down on their luck. Life had dealt an unfair hand and they were doing the best they could with what they had.

Did it make what they did for a living right?

No.

But Madellaine played her part. She seemed to be designed for this type of life. Constantly moving, constantly looking over her shoulder, never having peace...

It was all she knew.

However, at the end of the day, when she was with her fellow carnival folk, she felt like she belonged somewhere in this world.

Or at least she did until she realized how little she actually contributed to their lives on a day to day basis.

Her job was to stand there and look pretty.

But what would happen when she stopped looking so pretty?

She didn't want to think about it. Sarouch habitually left those he couldn't use behind.

Rumors throughout the caravan suggested he did more sinister things to those who overstayed the "warm welcome" he supplied, but Madellaine wasn't privy to such knowledge.

No, Gabriella made certain of that.

The next half hour was spent making sure everyone received a decent serving of food before settling down to eat themselves. Madellaine took a spot by the roaring bonfire alone, noting absently how cold it was before the rumbling in her stomach demanded she eat and eat now.

Delicious as it was, the dreamy-eyed woman found herself drifting back to the bell tower and to the nice conversation with the bell ringer. Before she messed it all up, the two of them had really hit it off. She could still hear the sound of his laugh. Try as she might, she couldn't shake the sound, nor could she shake her memory of his expression of shame once she saw his face.

The song she'd heard someone singing was long forgotten by now.

" _Sarouch hasn't called on me to deliver the news yet,_ " she mused while chewing. " _He must be busy with preparations for the show tomorrow..."_

"Ms. Madellaine?"

The quiet request for attention startled the blonde so badly she nearly choked on the spoon.

Sputtering indignantly, she replied hoarsely. "Oh...good evening, Merlin."

Merlin, a very exotic looking man with mono-lid, almond shaped eyes and short-raven hair stood above her with an eyebrow raised in confusion.

"Are...you well?"

"Fine," she blurted, coughing a bit. "Just choked a little bit. Was there something you needed?"

The man sighed in quiet exasperation before taking a seat next to her. "I see you have encountered another of our kind."

"Huh?" Confused, Madellaine blinked a couple of times. "I'm sorry, but I..."

"Don't understand?" Merlin questioned, cutting off her thoughts as an all-knowing sort of grin lit up his expression. "Yes, that does tend to happen a great deal."

Madellaine wasn't sure what to make of this situation. Merlin had been part of their caravan for a year now, but this was the first time he had ever really sought her...or anyone else...out.

Now that she thought about it, Gabriella was the only person who went out of her way to talk to him at all. She only really interacted with the man when Gabriella was flinging out orders to the both of them.

"Ah, you understand now?"

"Understand what?"

"People like me, and the hunchback of Notre Dame you met earlier today, are ostracized from society," he began.

Before Madellaine could even fathom how this man knew about her stroll to the cathedral, he spoke again, saying, "We're different. People often fear that."

"How...do you even know I went there?"

"Runs in the family," Merlin stated simply, looking up toward the stars. "My mother came from a long line of priestesses. She had a gift for seeing certain events of the future. Traditionally, such abilities are passed down from daughter to daughter, but my mother only had sons."

"That's interesting...?"

"I've seen something in your future..."

Madellaine let out a sharp groan. "What's the catch?"

Merlin halted, blinking in confusion the way Madellaine had a minute ago. "Pardon?"

"Come on, we're a band of thieves," the blonde muttered. "While a good number of us would rather be in honest work, there are others here who take great pride perfecting their crafty practices." Crossing her arms over her chest she added, "I hear you're the best pickpocket in our ranks."

"That's true." he agreed, a subdued expression on his face. "I just took your stew without you even noticing."

Madellaine paused then looked down at her hands, which had been previously cupped around a bowl of delicious stew.

Then she heard an audible slurping sound.

Next to her, Merlin was finishing up the last of her supper. He dipped his head backward, swallowing the last of the liquid inside.

"Consider this my payment for revealing my vision to you," he said with a satisfied sigh. Lowering the bowl to his lap, he smiled cheekily as if she weren't glaring literal daggers into his flesh.

"It better be good." she growled. " _I really wanted to eat that, you scoundrel!"_

"Well, not exactly my dear."

Madellaine was positively angry now but somehow managed to keep her composure.

"Enlighten me...please."

"A difficult decision awaits you in the near future," he began, his tone serious now. "It concerns the bell-ringer."

"Wait, is this decision about whether or not I'll have to see him again, because..."

"No, Sarouch has already decided that for you."

Madellaine bit down on her tongue. The man was right, but did he really have to put it _that_ way?

"This is a decision regarding life and death," Merlin continued, lowering his voice so the multitude around them wouldn't be able to hear. Madellaine herself had trouble catching all the words.

"And no matter what you decide...you will be changed forever."

"Changed?"

"Indeed," Merlin answered, locking his gaze, which sparkled like dim emeralds in the firelight, with hers. "I saw the two routes you could take, but I don't know which path you will choose. As I mentioned before, it's going to be a difficult decision for you...and you won't have much time to make it."

Madellaine wasn't sure if this man was speaking the truth or just trying to scare her. Either way, she didn't like it.

"Listen, Merlin, I..."

"Maddie!"

Madellaine stopped speaking, her attention diverted by the sound of children's voices. She saw two young boys and a girl holding a small doll in her hands rushing toward them in tattered night clothes.

The woman tried to speak when they arrived, but the children bulldozed right over her.

"It's storytime!"

"Can we hear the one about the pretty princess again?"

"No! You always want to hear that boring story. All the princess does is sleep!"

"Nuh-uh! She sings too! And Maddie sings good! I want to hear her sing."

"I want to hear it again too! The prince slays a dragon!"

"But Maddie promised _me_ a story about Hercules!"

"That story won't have a princess!"

"We can add one! Right Maddie?"

Madellaine just sat there, her mind fizzling from all the excited chattering. Without thinking she turned to Merlin for help only to find him inexplicably gone.

" _Right...I forgot he's one of the best magicians around here too. Probably better than Sarouch himself..."_

 _"_ Maddie! Are you listening!?"

"Okay, okay!" Madellaine exclaimed, giggling in spite of herself as the children continued fighting about what story they all wanted to hear. "No more arguing now, or I won't tell a story at all."

"But you are gonna tell us the story of Hercules, right? You promised!"

"I did, I did." Shaking her head, the blonde rose from her seat and swiftly scooped up the boy. He giggled excitedly as Madellaine placed him on her shoulders. The other two kids jumped around her, saying they wanted a ride next.

Madellaine put Merlin's strange vision talk out of her mind, choosing instead to prioritize entertaining the children before bed.

She had yearned for someone to tell her stories at night as a child. Until Gabriella joined the caravan, she'd had no one but Sarouch.

Still, despite the grievances she had with him, Madellaine felt a sense of gratitude to him for taking her in when he could have easily left her on the street to die. Whether out of kindness or greed, he had saved her.

And so, like it or not, this caravan of thieves is where she belongs.

" _I have a duty to these children_ ," she thought, resigned yet happy. " _At least I can offer them a tiny bit of normalcy in a life of constant motion and fear. It's not much, but maybe...well maybe they'll grow up strong enough to break free...the way I wish I could."_

* * *

A/N: One thing that I would have really liked in the original movie is just a touch more backstory to Madellaine. We don't learn a whole lot about her in the movie. Enough to get invested into her character, but not enough to really get a sense of who she is as a person. So I wanted to make a chapter dedicated to painting a picture of what her life in Sarouch's traveling caravan is like on a day to day basis. I hope this chapter did a good job crafting a piece of her life not explored. Also, I may edit this chapter again at a later point, as parts of it feel a little weak compared to what I know I'm capable of...but for general reading on Fanfiction, I think what I got now turned out pretty good. Thanks for reading! If you enjoyed this chapter, feel free to leave me a review expressing your thoughts. I would be delighted to hear feedback. God bless you and have a great day!


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